Category Archives: Inventions & Developments

Artist’s impression of the release of an upper-stage from a next-generation SABRE-powered reusable launch vehicle(Credit: REL)

Hypersonic travel, and maybe even a new type of orbital launcher, has come closer to reality after Boeing and Rolls-Royce today announced substantial investments in the British advanced propulsion systems company Reaction Engines Limited (REL). read more

New technology promises to give tankers an unprecedented view of the battlefield around them—without exposing them to lethal enemy fire. Camera systems, often linked to VR headsets, can provide soldiers with a real-time view of the world outside their tank, eliminating the often severely restricted view tankers are forced to fight with. read more

Homes that come in easy-to-assemble flat-packed components are gaining in popularity, and a new one to pop up in São Paulo, Brazil is undoubtedly one of the more impressive we’ve seen. As the first SysHaus from the local startup of the same name, the dwelling took less than a month to construct and was designed with sustainability in mind, right down to its tasteful, low-maintenance garden surrounds. read more

The test drive of the Lego Chiron took place at the Ehra Lessien proving grounds in Germany(Credit: Lego Technic)

A bit too late to order a coveted Bugatti Chiron? More of a do-it-yourselfer? Why not make one from Lego Technic parts? That’s what Lego has done, building a full-sized, functioning Chiron almost entirely from Legos, right down to the powerplant. It may not be fast, but it’s really dang cool. read more

Plans call for the Nopixgo wristband to be available in a choice of five colors(Credit:NopixGlobal)

While we’ve seen a number of devices that use ultrasound to ward off mosquitos, many people maintain that such deterrent systems just don’t work. The Nopixgo Mosquito Bite Protection Wristband takes a different approach, emitting electromagnetic waves instead. read more

A new patent from IBM could bring new meaning to instant coffee. The patent describes a drone that could detect when a person is tiring and fly over with a cup of coffee on demand—so no need to worry if yours is the one street corner without a Starbucks.

In its patent, IBM imagines a drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle, flying over a group of people and: read more

U.S. military forces are testing a new, lightweight one-person electric vehicle. The DSRaider all-terrain vehicle has the advantages of traditional ATVs in a smaller, more compact package. Ridden upright like a Segway and capable of carrying more than three hundred pounds across rough terrain, the DSRaider is aimed at soldiers, first responders, and outdoorsmen. read more

Samsung is thought to be releasing its flagship handset the S10 in 2019 and a patent application suggests it may be fitted with a futuristic self-healing screen.

The revolutionary display would be able to fix any cracks or scratches on the screen without the owner needing to do anything.

According to a patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the screen will also be impervious to any scuffs, scratches and fingerprint marks.

The technology has been teased in small doses before and the patent also mentions the possibility of it being applied to ‘flexible devices’ which could open the door for foldable phones.

Samsung is thought to be releasing its flagship handset the S10 in 2019 and it may be fitted with a futuristic self-healing screen. The revolutionary display could see the end of irritating scratches that obscure the screen (stock) read more

A new nanogel could make for a better snake antivenom, by sequestering the toxins within the bloodstream(Credit: SURZet/Depositphotos)

According to the World Health Organization, snakes bite an estimated 5 million people each year, killing more than 100,000 of those victims and permanently injuring hundreds of thousands more. Current antivenoms might not be saving lives as efficiently as they could be, given that they’re difficult and expensive to produce, distribute and administer. Now, researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have developed a synthetic alternative with a long shelf-life that can neutralize the venom from several species of snakes. read more